Those affected, BOMA said, are going to the businesses that lease space in Houston buildings:

Houston BOMA members are extremely concerned about the negative impact these appraisals will have on businesses. Property taxes are nearly always passed on to tenants as operating expenses. With escalating property valuations, every company leasing space in Harris County will potentially see a significant increase in operating expense billings.

“Valuation increases of this magnitude will have an extremely negative impact on business owners county-wide,” said Betancourt. “HCAD has sent a clear message with these exorbitant assessments and the resulting increased costs of doing business in Houston and Harris County, that they are not concerned with preserving the environment of business growth or economic development.”

Earlier this year, the Chronicle’s former business columnist wrote about the appraisal district’s efforts to raise the values it assesses on office buildings amid Houston’s strengthening economy and the growing demand for office space.